EastEnders: Big plots and great characters but is interest starting to wane?

After a phenomenal comeback in the ratings war, EastEnders seemed like it could do no wrong.

A gripping murder plot and the introduction of the Carter family ensured that the London soap held firm to viewers’ affections. But, perhaps inevitably, last week was a little disappointing.

David Wicks was enormously popular with viewers and there were cries of dismay when he announced he was leaving. Little did we suspect he would be gone so soon, and with such a drippy plot to send him off.

As a character that managed to transition from ageing lothario to loveable super sleuth, David deserved better than a taxi out of Albert Square.

While I’m pleased the door has been left open for him to return, I think suffering a fatal heart attack just as he reunited with Carol, his one true love, would have been fitting. I presume this wasn’t chosen as we’ve already had one major death in Walford, and there is only so much grief a viewer wants to watch.

Still, it did seem the writers had given up a little on this storyline.

While Carol and David’s dance to ‘Misty Blue’ was touching, it felt more like a desperate attempt to fill the episode. Contrast this with Carol and Ian’s conversation earlier in the week, which was a much more revealing moment. Though I do hope Carol isn’t being lined up as the next Mrs Beale. The poor woman has suffered enough.

On to this week and a small hope that the stories will perk up. There is a lot going on in EastEnders at the moment, which is supposed to keep things interesting but often means that the best plots get parked while something else is introduced.

Your guess is as good as mine as to when Ben Mitchell will finally show his face on the Square.

The one bright spot is that this week contains a lot of Tina Carter, a woman who can’t get enough screentime in my opinion.

Tina Carter (right) is one of the show’s standout characters (Picture: BBC)

We also get to see more of Tosh, who has been a little underdeveloped so far. This is another problem with EastEnders being so jam-packed, while it is clear that all the cast are being given good plots, it does sometimes take a while for a favoured character to come back on screen.

I don’t think Ronnie Mitchell has been seen since before Easter and I would have welcomed seeing her reaction to Lucy’s death, given Lucy was a similar age to Danielle.

One bad week isn’t enough to make me stop watching, but I hope David’s exit was a blip and not a sign that the magic has gone. Maybe EastEnders just got a little too good, and set an impossibly high standard.

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